The Times' William Rashbaum reports that "several witnesses" told the FBI that Zimmer told them in May of the threat. Zimmer alleged in an interview with MSNBC's Steve Kornacki last weekend that the Christie administration held Sandy relief funds "hostage" as leverage for a development project she said top Christie administration officials — Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and Richard Constable, Christie's commissioner of community affairs — pushed her to support.

According to the Times, the aides told FBI investigators that Zimmer told them about the threat shortly after it occurred. Zimmer told MSNBC last Saturday that a specific threat was made by Guadagno in a parking lot in May.

Multiple aides close to Zimmer didn't immediately respond to requests for comment on whether they were interviewed. Zimmer said Wednesday that she would no longer give media interviews while the investigation is ongoing, at the request of the U.S. Attorney's Office of New Jersey.

"The U.S. Attorney's Office has asked that we not conduct additional media interviews and we are respecting their request,” she said in a statement. “I stand by my previous statements and remain willing to testify under oath about all of the facts in this case."